In Case You Missed It: Paroxsihzem’s Abyss of Excruciating Vexes

Originally released in March last year, Paroxsihzem‘s agonizing EP, Abyss of Excruciating Vexes, has been resuscitated for a limited tape run on the always killer Krucyator Productions. If you a) missed this horrifying blast fest, or b) think tapes are the tech of the future, here’s your chance to get caught up. Disclaimer: you should probably be wearing a hazmat suit when you stab play below.

Paroxsihzem have only been active since 2009, but they’ve already created quite a name for themselves amid the choked gutters of Canada’s underground bestial blackened death/war metal scene. With two previous demos, a full-length, and a split with the absolutely horrendous Adversarial, the band have cut their teeth on the scorched pavement of Canada’s extreme landscape and keep plowing forward with murderous rage. Last year’s EP, Abyss of Excruciating Vexes, capitalized on all that bloodshed and was certainly sufficiently vitriolic to capture the attention of Krucyator’s Loic of Autokrator fame. If that isn’t high praise and a seal of approval regarding a release’s capability to pulverize, I don’t know what is.

So how does Abyss of Excruciating Vexes deliver on that promise? Superbly, in fact. As it turns out, Excruciating Vexes is a horrifyingly apt title; this album is heavy as all hell. The unrepentant blasts (which are delightfully mixed well above the downtuned guitars) are downright worrisome, sinking their teeth into your skin while the guitars skitter and slide across the frets with reckless abandon. There are several parts in the first track alone (“Dillanties Torture”) when the song sounds like the whole composition is just going to go completely off the rails. Within the last twenty seconds, the guitarists squeal and solo with little regard for tuning or taste while the rhythm section just sort of judders and screeches to a halt like some nasty, fleshy abomination summoned from the void rampaging behind you before collapsing into a pâté of distorted gristle and percussive viscera. The bilious vocals that sound like a frog vomiting are just the icing on the cake.

The remainder of the four original tracks on the EP continue on in much the same manner, with more than enough odd moments of rhythmic decomposition, pleasantly out-of-place solos, and tarry vocal regurgitations to satisfy any gore-obsessed metalhead. This album is undoubtedly 5 out of 5 uncomfortable normies on the heaviness scale and will almost assuredly make any nearby listeners question whether or not you’re some kind of pervert if you play it in a public area, especially if you play the warped fifth cover track.

5/5 Uncomfortable Normies

Heavy, atmospheric, off-kilter, and deeply satisfying in the most deranged way, Abyss of Excruciating Vexes is a must-buy for fans of metal that grinds you into paste. But act quickly, because tape supplies are limited! You can order the album from Krucyator productions here! Be sure to catch a ride on the Canadian killdozer at Facebook too!